People with oily skin are often frustrated because they have to solve a lot of problems with the skin care, ranging from pore cleansing and degreasing to acne. Girls with dry skin have no problems like this. But do not think you are not lucky to have your skin type.
There is good news: oily skin ages more slowly, wrinkles and sagging are observed much later than in case of dry skin. After all, most signs of age result from dehydration and dryness.
It is not necessary to worry about your skin type. It is important to find the best products for its care. Below you will see four most important ingredients that you should know.
1. Salicylic acid
This ingredient belongs to beta hydroxy acids and is among the favorite ones for anyone who has seen salicylic acid in action. It is extracted from willow bark. This is an ideal ingredient for oily skin: it is able to penetrate deep into the pores of the skin, remove its sebum, dead cells and other unwanted clogs.
Salicylic acid acts on the skin surface: it dissolves an adhesive layer, which concatenates the skin cells together. This action allows you to exfoliate the top layer of the skin, remove dark spots and uneven places, have impact on acne and pimples, and even flatten the wrinkles.
There are some precautions about using salicylic acid.
The people with oily skin should know that there are some important precautions when using makeup with salicylic acid:
- Salicylic acid, like any other exfoliant, increases the skin sensitivity to sunlight. Therefore, makeup with salicylic acid should be combined with sunscreen, especially in summer.
- Salicylic acid is not suitable for those whose body is deficient of zinc or is allergic to salicylates (including aspirin).
- Pregnant women should consult a doctor before starting to use products with salicylic acid.
2. Hyaluronic acid and glycerol
Choosing the drying means, people with oily skin may experience lack of moisture in the upper layers of the skin and overproduction of sebum. Therefore moisturizing has its own peculiarities for oily skin.
Conventional moisturizers necessarily contain oil and create a kind of “trap” for the water on the surface of the skin – a barrier that prevents the evaporation of moisture. But oil-based moisturizers are not suitable for oily skin. Here we need the moisturizing components which are able to attract moisture from the environment. The most famous of them is glycerin and hyaluronic acid, as well as sodium hyaluronate, derived from hyaluronic acid.
Hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate may be called most effective because they can retain the amount of moisture exceeding their own weight by 1,000 times and work well under both high and low humidity.
3. Degreasing ingredients
These substances are not mandatory for oily skin; they mostly have a decorative effect, improving the appearance of the skin, but not changing it. They help to control sebum during the day, and you can even forget about wipes and re-makeup.
Primers and masks are cosmetic products that may contain degreasing components in their formula. These masks contain kaolin or bentonite (types of clay), they help the skin remove excess oil. Such a mask can be applied once or twice a week.
4. Benzoyl Peroxide
This ingredient is one of the most powerful weapons in the arsenal of women with oily skin. Benzoyl peroxide has a strong exfoliating action, keeps the pores clean and prevents acne. Benzoyl peroxide can kill the bacteria that cause acne.
Warnings. Like any powerful ingredient, benzoyl peroxide should be used with caution:
- Benzoyl peroxide may cause dryness and irritation.
- The ingredient is also able to generate free radicals that cause premature aging. It is therefore important to use cosmetics with benzoyl peroxide in combination with moisturizers and serum containing anti-oxidants.
- It is advisable to use benzoyl peroxide pointwise – as a therapeutic agent for acne and blackheads – rather than over the whole surface of the skin.
